Summary
Disability and equality
There are over 8.6 million disabled people in Britain. This group is very varied, and includes people with hearing, sight, speech and learning impairments as well as those with physical impairments. Finding ways to ensure equal access and enjoyment of the outdoors for all groups of people is an important aspect of the diversity and equality agenda which is supported by the Equality Act 2006 and the amended Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
Grants should support disabled access
Research suggests that disabled people generally do not access woodland areas. There are a number of potential barriers to access which could account for this. Forestry Commission Scotland is the largest single provider of outdoor recreation in Scotland and provides significant sums of grant aid to support woodland-based leisure activities. The Forestry Commission Scotland decided to assess how far these grants support and promote equal access for disabled people to recreational goods, facilities and services in privately owned Scottish woodlands.
Research objectives
The aims of this research were to:
- Examine evaluation methodologies appropriate to assessing forestry grant schemes that promote disability access
- Develop a pilot methodology suitable for assessing grant funding mechanisms
- Understand the extent to which the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme has encouraged equal access for disabled people.
Key findings
Forest Grants have made a contribution to the provision of public benefits and increasing access for a range of groups within society, including disabled people.
Evaluation methodologies for forestry grants should:
- Assess individual projects and the wider grant programme
- Be integral to programme and project planning
- Not be considered as ‘add-ons’.
Interviews and discussions with potential users and forest managers should be part of the process.
Outputs
Summary of research, findings and recommendations (PDF-587K)
Travlou, P. (2007). Assessing the contribution of forestry grants to equal access for disabled people to recreation goods, facilities and services in Scottish Forests - a critical review and amendment of the framework and toolkit used by commissioning bodies for the evaluation of projects for increasing access to the outdoors (PDF-328K). OPENspace report to the Forestry Commission
Bell, S. (2007). Assessing the contribution of forestry grants to equal access for disabled people to recreation goods, facilities and services in Scottish Forests: Evaluation framework (PDF-281K). Edinburgh, OPENspace report to the Forestry Commission: 45.
Learning about disability
Three different research projects were commissioned to provide information about disability access issues. In addition to this project the others were:
- Enhancing the forest sector’s contribution to equal access for disabled people to recreation goods, facilities, and services in Scottish forests
- Exploring disabled peoples’ perceptions and the role of forest recreation goods, facilities and services in Scotland, England and Wales.
Forestry Commission’s diversity and equality policies
The Forestry Commission is committed to promoting equality to the users of its goods and resources, its services and public functions, as well as amongst its employees:
- Forestry Commission Equality and Diversity Strategy (PDF-343K)
- Forestry Commissions Disability Equality Scheme (MS Word®-154K)
Funders and partners
Funded by the Forestry Commission Scotland, this research was commissioned and managed by Forest Research and was undertaken by the OPENspace research centre in Edinburgh.
Status
This project was completed spring 2007.
Contacts
Bianca Ambrose-Oji
Forestry Commission Wales Office
Gwydyr Uchaf
Llanrwst
Conwy
LL26 0PN
Tel: 0300 068 0162
Email: bianca.ambrose-oji@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
The Diversity Manager
The Forestry Commission
Silvan House
231 Corstorphine Road
EDINBURGH
EH12 7AT
Tel: 0131 314 6531
E-mail: diversity@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
